Toilet Repair & Replacement

You wouldn’t imagine a home without at least one toilet. We have come to rely on them and we also don’t expect them to fail. However, like every other component of your home, they are subject to wear and tear.

Wear & Tear

Combine this with age and you now have a fixture that must be at least maintained if not replaced over time. It is a good idea to do a visual inspection of your toilet on a regular basis that will enable you to catch a possible problem or at least see the warning signs before a problem occurs. Here is a short visual checklist to follow when checking around the toilet and looking around your bathroom.

Toilet Inspection List

Look at the base of the toilet for any signs of water.

Check for any loose caulk at the toilet base.

Look for moisture or droplets where the toilet tank attaches to the bowl.

Check for drips at the shutoff valve in the wall.

Look for any cracks in the toilet bowl or tank.

Listen to make sure that the toilet stops running after a completed flush.

Make sure that the toilet is secure to the floor, with no movement or wiggle.

In addition to the above list, a toilet that seems to clog frequently or shows signs of a clog may be a sign of a larger backup in the main sewer line. So with the toilet, it comes down to 3 issues, the inside tank components, the toilet itself, and the drain.

3 Issues

The inside tank components include the valve, flapper, etc, and these parts need to be replaced on a regular basis. The toilet itself has a lifespan of it’s own and will eventually need to be replaced. The drain line connecting to the toilet is actually a branch that connects to the other bathroom drains including the faucets and shower, which all connect to the main sewer line. So, it may take an experience plumber to determine where the drain clog is located within the branch line, in a main sewer connection, or in the main itself. A toilet clog regardless whether it is from a branch line or a main line can be considered an emergency plumbing situation and will usually require the help of a professional.